Largest miscarriage research centre in Europe to benefit from University of Warwick expertise

The University of Warwick has been selected to be a partner in the largest miscarriage research centre in Europe.

Funded by the leading pregnancy charity, Tommy's, the University's researchers will be joining doctors from University Hospital, Coventry to give investigate the causes of early miscarriage.

The centre will help patients like new mum Nicola from Nuneaton who suffered the heartbreak of losing three pregnancies in just 18 months. However after taking part in a trial led by Warwick Medical School's Professor Siobhan Quenby and her team based at University Hospital, they were able to give her hope. The research trial tested a new medication which could help her to have a healthy pregnancy.

Nine months later, in June 2015 Nicola and her husband Ryan welcomed baby Isabella to the world.

It is hoped that thousands more women like Nicola who suffer from early miscarriage, will benefit from the world class research taking place in Coventry. New trials include scratching the lining of a women's womb to help improve the chances of embryos implanting and a diabetes drug which is hoped can help women who have had five or more miscarriages.

There are approximately 250,000 miscarriages every year, with about one in three women experiencing recurrent miscarriages.

Nicola said: "We started to think that we were never going to have a family, but the trial gave us hope and we decided to give it one last go. I'm so glad we did, and without Professor Quenby and the fantastic midwives, chances are I wouldn't be a mum. I can't thank them enough for everything they did for us and hope that more women who think there is no hope, give it one last try and take advantage of this fantastic team right here on our door step in Coventry."

Professor Quenby said: "I am thrilled that we were able to help Nicola and Ryan and it is this combination of world class research and care that we will be able to do more of, now we have the support of Tommy's. For patients, this means we will mean we will be able to offer more new treatments for miscarriage and greater understanding of why it happens to some women more than others. It means that we will be able to offer hope for women like Nicola."

Jane Brewin, CEO of Tommy's said: "Medical science doesn't fully understand miscarriage which is why funding and research is so critical.

"Through pioneering medical research, Tommy's clinicians will save babies' lives by turning their discoveries into screening tests and treatments and launch clinics for pregnant women who are most at risk, giving them the latest improvements in care. They'll share their work in national clinical guidelines, preventing miscarriages and developing better care across the country."

The research centre will open in April 2016.

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For further details please contact Nicola Jones, Communications Manager, University of Warwick 07920531221 or [email protected]

Notes to Editors

The National Early Miscarriage Centre will comprise a partnership of three universities: The University of Birmingham, The University of Warwick, and Imperial College London. The three sites will run specialist clinics enabling 24,000 women per year to access treatment and support and participate in Tommy's research studies. The centre will seek to understand why miscarriage happens, if it is likely to happen again, how to prevent it, and how to provide appropriate aftercare.